Life

The Monday Round-Up: 07.23

Heather Jackson is unstoppable in Lake Placid, Solos partners with IRONMAN, and a quick look at a huge weekend of racing coming up.

Weekend at a Glance

IRONMAN Lake Placid

Jackson scores huge win in Lake Placid

Heather Jackson (USA) was all smiles when finding herself in unfamiliar territory when she exited the swim in the lead. The defending champion would race solo for the remainder of the day on the bike and would never be under any real threat. Jodie Robertson (USA) and Jen Annett (CAN) keep the damage to just over four minutes for much of the ride with Annett exploiting her bike prowess by putting in a late surge in the closing miles of the bike, but only managed to reduce her deficit to Jackson to 2:46.

On the run, Jackson looked unbeatable while there was total carnage going behind her. Robertson, known for her swift feet, imploded early into the run and headed backwards quickly. Sarah Piampiano had an uncharacteristically poor bike that resulted in her coming into T2 over 25 minutes down to the leader. Annett was running with what looked like an insurmountable grasp of second place when abdominal issues reduced her to a walk in the first half of the run. The gutsy Canuck managed to pull a rabbit from her hat and made a full recovery in the second half of the run. Despite all the drama going on in the field, Jackson's brilliant performance out front wasn't overshadowed: she claimed the win at the 20th anniversary event by a winning margin of 15 minutes on Annett and over 24 minutes on Piampiano.

The Buzz

Super Dario to the Rescue

IRONMAN athlete and gay heartthrob Dario Mariani is running in the desert to save the sharks. Outsmart Magazine reported that the 30-year-old petroleum engineer, who completed KMD IRONMAN Copenhagen in 2016, is leaving today for the Gobi March. To add to the challenge of a seven-day, self-supported footrace, Dario is raising money for the Darwin Foundation. As he told reporter Ryan Leach, "Shark species are becoming endangered due to their fins being considered a delicacy in some cultures, and because they are misunderstood by others. The funds raised will go toward the foundation’s shark research and protection program in the Galapagos. When you’re doing something like this, you can’t just do a marathon. I wanted to do something with a bigger impact." Follow Dario’s journey on Instagram @mayhem_mariani, donate, or learn more about the Charles Darwin Foundation.

That spitting thing

While we’re still coming down from the World Cup Final win of France over Croatia, one final question remains. What is up with that spitting thing? The New York Times, engaging in the kind of hard-hitting investigative journalism they are known for, has published the full scoop on the practice, known as carb rinsing. More than a decade of research in endurance sports has shown that you can essentially trick your brain by swishing a carbohydrate solution in your mouth for 10 seconds, and then spitting it out. Receptors in the mouth send signals to the brain telling your muscles to keep pushing and not feel fatigue. In a 2004 study, carb rinsing made athletes more than a minute faster in a 40k (25 mile) time trial. Generally a 10% or higher maltodextrin (a flavorless carbohydrate) solution is used, which would cause gastric distress if swallowed. No word if holding a gel in your mouth for 10 seconds has the same effect.

"One day I’m not going to be able to do this, but it’s not today."

In 2012 Christine Conti received a devastating diagnosis: rheumatoid arthritis (RA). She had already watched her grandmother, cousin, and older sister battle the autoimmune disorder. Christine, a full-time school teacher and part-time personal trainer, fought back with an aggressive program of treatments including methotrexate, a drug that is used in chemotherapy. And she started checking off her bucket list. As she told reporter Susanne Cervenka from the Ashbury Park Press, "I don’t know how much time I have with my body," Christine said. "If I only have 10 years, I want to check it off the list." She started running marathons. She qualified for Boston. She became pregnant with her second child, and went in and out of remission for RA. Then in 2018 Christine was accepted to compete in IRONMAN Lake Placid (which took place this past weekend) on behalf of the IRONMAN Foundation. "Your health is a gift," she said. "Don’t tell me what you can’t do. Tell me what you can do."

Instagram of the Week

Congrats to the boss in his 12:48:35 finish at IRONMAN Lake Placid.

Partner News

Solos Named Official Smart Glasses Partner of IRONMAN

SOLOS to showcase its new smart glasses at the 2018 IRONMAN World Championship and additional IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 events this year. SOLOS, a unit of Kopin Corporation, together with IRONMAN is proud to announce that SOLOS has become the official Smart Glasses of IRONMAN North America and the IRONMAN World Championship. SOLOS’ new smart glasses will be showcased at the IRONMAN World Championship and various other events in the United States and Canada throughout this year, starting at IRONMAN Lake Placid.